{"689800":{"#nid":"689800","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Inside RBI\u2019s Labs: John Xu Advances More Efficient, Sustainable Papermaking","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/hanjiang-john-xu\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EHanjiang (John) Xu\u003C\/a\u003E serves as director of the Multiphase Forming Lab at Georgia Tech\u2019s Renewable Bioproducts Institute (RBI), where he leads efforts to advance more efficient and sustainable approaches to paper formation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe \u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/feature\/multiphase-forming-lab\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EMultiphase Forming Lab\u003C\/a\u003E is the only system of its kind in North America, designed to significantly reduce the amount of water required in the papermaking process. Lowering water usage\u2014by up to 70 percent\u2014the system also reduces the heat and energy needed for drying, one of the most energy-intensive stages in production. This work has direct implications for improving efficiency, reducing costs, and supporting more sustainable manufacturing practices across the industry.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EXu brings more than 20 years of experience in laboratory and pilot-scale papermaking systems, with expertise spanning fluid mechanics, materials science, instrumentation development, and process design. His work has consistently focused on bridging research and application, supporting both product development and process optimization.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EXu works with RBI members and industry partners to apply research insights to real-world manufacturing challenges, with a focus on reducing energy consumption and advancing next generation bioproducts.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/rbi.gatech.edu\/services\/multiphase-forming-pilot-facility\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ELearn More\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/research.gatech.edu\/people\/hanjiang-john-xu\u0022 rel=\u0022noreferrer noopener\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EHanjiang (John) Xu\u003C\/a\u003E serves as director of the Multiphase Forming Lab at Georgia Tech\u2019s Renewable Bioproducts Institute (RBI), where he leads efforts to advance more efficient and sustainable approaches to paper formation.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Hanjiang (John) Xu serves as director of the Multiphase Forming Lab at Georgia Tech\u2019s Renewable Bioproducts Institute (RBI), where he leads efforts to advance more efficient and sustainable approaches to paper formation. "}],"uid":"36757","created_gmt":"2026-04-16 19:35:41","changed_gmt":"2026-04-16 19:36:21","author":"ychernet3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2026-04-16T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2026-04-16T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"679974":{"id":"679974","type":"image","title":"XU-2025-photo.jpeg","body":null,"created":"1776368149","gmt_created":"2026-04-16 19:35:49","changed":"1776368149","gmt_changed":"2026-04-16 19:35:49","alt":"Headshot of John Xu","file":{"fid":"264201","name":"XU-2025-photo.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/16\/XU-2025-photo.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2026\/04\/16\/XU-2025-photo.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1771850,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2026\/04\/16\/XU-2025-photo.jpeg?itok=ja66mJhA"}}},"media_ids":["679974"],"groups":[{"id":"372221","name":"Renewable Bioproducts Institute (RBI)"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39491","name":"Renewable Bioproducts"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:ychernet3@gatech.edu\u0022\u003EYanet Chernet\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr\u003ECommunications Officer\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}